Hybrid PT Cruiser Project

[Knightwolf]

The goal of this project is to create a plug-n-play hybrid conversion for use in a PT cruiser. Though it could be easily adapted for any FWD vehicle. With this system, virtually anyone would be able to convert their vehicle to become more efficient.

Project outline:

Obtain Donor rear suspension for use as mock-up.

Obtain 2 wheel hub drive systems

Obtain Control System

Obtain new battery pack technologies

Obtain misc mounting components

Assemble components

Test and gather data

Redesign system if needed


P.S. - Constructive criticism is welcome, but please bring facts to backup your arguments and yes I will research them to determine if they are valid.

[Busa_Powered]

Is this going to be a advertisement for your products?

[Busa_Powered]

Originally Posted by Busa_Powered

Is this going to be a advertisement for your products?

What generation pt do you own and will test on, why a pt if its adaptable to other fwd vehicles?

[Knightwolf]

I own a 2001 PT cruiser Touring Edition with the 5 speed manual trans. I am not advertising a product, only sharing my information as my project progresses for anyone else interested in doing something similar.

As for why a PT cruiser, why not? Its what I have available.

[05vanilla]

Would you still keep the PT's original engine, or would you drop in something smaller? As is it, there's not much room under the hood to do anything!

[Knightwolf]

Everything else is remaining stock. There will be only 1 cutout in the body for a weatherproof through body connector for the wiring from the control and battery system down through to the wheel hub assemblies. Aside from that, there may be a few wires tapped from under the dash once I determine what inputs I'll need.

The idea is 3 modes of driving.

1. Full electric - Gas engine off, manual trans in neutral.
(In this mode there would be no brake boost assist or power steering)

2. Mixed driving - Gas engine running with electric assisting to alleviate strain on the drive system thus allowing it to burn less fuel.

3. Full Gas - Electric motors off and polarities reversed to allow motors to run as generators to recharge battery systems. Amount of recharge depends on distance traveled via gas.

Advantages: Improved range, better fuel economy

Disadvantages: Undetermined additional range at this time. Temporary loss of cargo space.

Also, being a modular system, you could remove the control and battery system to reclaim cargo space if you choose while leaving the hub assemblies attached.

[VanillaVert]

If you're doing anything electric, I'd instantly suggest a lighter car for a test platform based on just a few Newtonian basics. But... if the love for the looks of the PT is strong enough to keep you motivated to finish the job, Go for it!

Your first post reminds me of something though...


heh... underpants gnomes!

[rob342]

pt owners generally aren't the tree hugging, save the planet types. you really aren't going to sell many of these, and they are going to be unreliable and overly expensive. if you revised your idea to cut out the rear floor pans, throw the suspension and spare tire in the garbage, and bolt in a V-8 that powered the rear wheels, i feel you'd get a lot more interest, sell more kits, have lower design costs, be able to use mostly pre-existing parts, and make more money. people who bought the kit could even re-coup some of their money by selling off the anemic 2.4 that is weighing down the front.

just something to consider.

[pluminator]

Good idea. But our "hybrid" technology that we currently have is more polluting to the environment than gasoline vehicles.

An estimated 4 people die in mines per every hybrid car that is made just trying to get the material to make the batteries. The fossil fuels that are used to transport the material from the mines, to the plants, from the plants to the production facilities, from the production facilities to the vehicle companies is 10x more than 8 or so SUV's burn in a year.....and that is per hybrid car alone just to get them off the assembly line. Because they use very large diesel burning tankers *thousands of them per year*, Plus diesel trains, 18 wheelers and many coal burning machinery at the mines.....

NTM a good hybrid will cost you over $10,000-$18,500 to buy , the battery packs cost nearly $6,000 and they only have a 5 year life expectancy * or 110k before they need replacing, so thats another 4 dead people, plus $6k every 5 years......own the car for 10 years it ends up costing you $20k just to run it, not to mention 8 human lives. Plus thousands of dollars of burnt fossil fuels for the batteries, and a major impact on global warming, Combine that with the rapid human mistreatment at said mines in africa were the material is found for the packs........Very expensive and costly machines to run.

Maybe in 10 years or so If we can find a way to make electric or hybrid cars lest costly it would be great, but You wont see me jumping to convert any time soon.

Comparative Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of Conventional and Electric Vehicles - Hawkins - 2012 - Journal of Industrial Ecology - Wiley Online Library

HowStuffWorks "How much does it cost to replace a hybrid battery?"

Behind the Hidden Costs of Hybrids - HybridCars.com

http://greenliving.lovetoknow.com/Hy...nmental_Impact


Hybrid.........Something toyota really wants you to get on-board with because its a multi billion dollar industry, and the environmental lobbyists love! but refuse to acknowledge what it costs to really make one to save face :-D

[Busted_PT]

Originally Posted by pluminator

Good idea. But our "hybrid" technology that we currently have is more polluting to the environment than gasoline vehicles.

An estimated 4 people die in mines per every hybrid car that is made just trying to get the material to make the batteries. The fossil fuels that are used to transport the material from the mines, to the plants, from the plants to the production facilities, from the production facilities to the vehicle companies is 10x more than 8 or so SUV's burn in a year.....and that is per hybrid car alone just to get them off the assembly line. Because they use very large diesel burning tankers *thousands of them per year*, Plus diesel trains, 18 wheelers and many coal burning machinery at the mines.....

NTM a good hybrid will cost you over $10,000-$18,500 to buy , the battery packs cost nearly $6,000 and they only have a 5 year life expectancy * or 110k before they need replacing, so thats another 4 dead people, plus $6k every 5 years......own the car for 10 years it ends up costing you $20k just to run it, not to mention 8 human lives. Plus thousands of dollars of burnt fossil fuels for the batteries, and a major impact on global warming, Combine that with the rapid human mistreatment at said mines in africa were the material is found for the packs........Very expensive and costly machines to run.

Maybe in 10 years or so If we can find a way to make electric or hybrid cars lest costly it would be great, but You wont see me jumping to convert any time soon.

Comparative Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of Conventional and Electric Vehicles - Hawkins - 2012 - Journal of Industrial Ecology - Wiley Online Library

HowStuffWorks "How much does it cost to replace a hybrid battery?"

Behind the Hidden Costs of Hybrids - HybridCars.com

Negative Environmental Impacts of Hybrid Vehicles


Hybrid.........Something toyota really wants you to get on-board with because its a multi billion dollar industry, and the environmental lobbyists love! but refuse to acknowledge what it costs to really make one to save face :-D

But the biggest reason for the manufactures is the government mandates certain fuel efficient cars. This helps them meat that end even if it's only to meet that end.